Sunday

Saturday nights as the parent of a toddler are not like Saturday nights pre-parenthood.

That much is true.

Since my husband works weekend nights at a local restaurant, weekends are Q and Mommy nights.

Sometimes this means that we go to the aquarium. Sometimes, it's the trampoline place. Sometimes it's just a night of art projects at home. But sometimes, Q likes to get good and dressed up and go out on the town for cupcakes and frozen yogurt.

No, it's not the club circuit. But I'll tell you what - it's not as much of a drag as it sounds to those who have not experienced the life-change of parenthood.

In fact, when you're out on the town with a four-year-old like Q, it can be quite a thrill ride.

The Q has many faces. She has many moods, most of them fleeting, except for joy, which is her main gear. She is a performer, a merry prankster, a magician, a wild card. She always has surprises in her proverbial pocket. She never fails to entertain.

She is, in a word, scintillating.

I am a very fortunate parent, and nights on the town with my merry prankster are nothing to sneeze at.

Tuesday

Saturday

This week, Q's class had a field trip to the neighborhood firehouse.

Q adores school. She thrives on it. When the weekend comes, she pines for school. A vacation or long weekend is no prize to her. She is a social animal. She loves her friends. She loves the order and strictures of school. She loves the learning system. She thrives on it. That's her ECE teacher, Mr. Sanford, on the right. She worships him. He is a terrific teacher, and we are lucky to have him.

This shot was taken by my husband of the whole class lined up outside the firetruck docking bay. Q is on the far right.

Immediately after posing for that group picture, Q dashed out, grabbed the camera from Daddy, and joined the parents in the lineup for photographing her fellow classmates.

She loves being in the role of photographer, much more than the role of model. She adores the feeling of being behind the lens.

Starting with this shot, all the rest of the pictures in this post were staged and taken by Q.

Her "boyfriend", Jayden.

Her friends, Adreanna, Bella, Noah, AJ, and Oscar.

Teacher's assistant Ms. Patty with Jayden, Tatiana and Aysiah.

They are so cute. And I love how Q got the best out of all of them for her pictures. She has a real talent there.

I love these last two photos most of all, because they show the Q in her natural role, directing the action, with everyone else hanging on her every word.

That's Q in a nutshell. Believe that you are in charge, and everyone else will believe it too.